Evergreen roping and wreath-making machine



Sep 1961 cs. GUCKELBERG ET AL 2,998,668

EVERGREEN ROPING AND WREATH-MAKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 2, 1959 IN V EN TORS 660265 6064118596, BY D n/4L0 6. P0084696.

United States Patent Ofiice 2,998,668 Patented Sept. 5, 1961 2,998,668 EVERGREEN ROPING AND WREATH-MAKING MACHINE George Guckelberg and Donald G. Four-acre, both of R0. Box 108, Birmingham, Mich. Filed Nov. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 850,290 Claims. (Cl. 413) This invention relates to a machine for automatically making evergreen roping and wreaths.

Heretofore this has been done by hand by applying evergreen boughs to twine or wire core and manually wrapping a securing wire around the boughs and supporting core. This is a costly and time consuming operation.

It is the object of this invention to provide a machine which will tightly wrap wire around evergreen boughs mounted on a core of twine or wire in a semi-automatic manner and wherein the machine operator feeds prepared boughs into the machine with one hand and draws out finished roping with the other.

It is a further object to provide a roping machine of this type for manufacturing wreaths by overlying prepared boughs upon a continuous wire ring and automatically winding a securing wire around the boughs and said ring throughout its circumference.

It is a further object to provide a simple machine with a minimum number of parts easily machined and assembled and accordingly of low cost.

It is a further object to provide a small and compact machine of this type which requires little space in operation and a small amount of storage space during the off season.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the machine, a portion partly broken away and sectioned.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end view thereof.

FIG. 3 is'a fragmentary section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary section taken on line 44 of FIG. 2, on an enlarged scale.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken on line 55 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary front view of a portion of the pulley wheel driving belt.

FIG. 7 is a plan view thereof.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates merely a preferred embodiment of the invention and that other embodiments are contemplated Within the scope of the claims hereafter set forth.

Referring to the drawing, the present evergreen rope and wreath machine is mounted upon a table 11 or other support fragmentarily shown, and includes housing 12 with bottom wall 13, having mounted and secured thereon at one end motor 14 with drive shaft 15.

As shown in FIG. 2, pulley 16 is secured on shaft and through belt 17 drives pulley 18 keyed at 19 to shaft 20 journaled at 21 through apertured bosses 22 of the substantially upright swingable support 23, FIG. 1. The small pulley 24 is secured upon the other end of shaft 20, and by means of belt 62, (FIGS. 2, *6 and 7) is adapted to drive winding pulley wheel 47.

Swingable support 23 has an additional pair of depending bosses 25 in spaced relation through which is loosely projected the fixed shaft 26 whose ends are secured at 27 within the upright end portions 28 of the arm support 29 which is pivotally mounted at one end at 30 on and within bracket 31 upon bottom wall 13.

As shown in FIG. 2, a brake shoe with depending support 32 is anchored upon member 28 and is adapted to frictionally engage pulley 18 as at B3. Coil spring 34 anchored at 35 to the housing, normally urges swingable support 23 into engagement with said brake shoe.

An intermediate portion of control arm 39 is pivotally mounted at 38 within box 37 on housing 12. The upper end of arm 39 has secured at 40 the cable 41 which, as shown in FIG. 2, extends around pulley 42 anchored at 43 within the housing and at its free end is secured at 44 to swingable support 23.

Therefore to start the machine and with motor 14 energized, the control arm 39 is actuated by the operators knee, preferably in a counterclockwise direction, so as to draw upon cable 41 tilting the swingable support 23 out of engagement with brake shoe 32-33, and at the same time tightening the belt 17 between pulleys 16-18, thus establishing a driving relation between motor 14 and drive pulley 18 on shaft 20.

Housing 12 includes top wall 45 which has a central rectangular aperture 46 therethrough. The winding pulley wheel 47, split transversely at 57, FIG. 2 for the reason hereafter stated, is mounted in an upright position extending above top wall 45 with a portion thereof projecting loosely down into aperture 46 mounting upon a pair of roller supports. These are shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 and consist of a pair of brackets 53 secured at 55 upon the undersu-rface of topwall 45 from and adjacent opposite ends of aperture 46.

Each bracket has supported therethrough the shaft 51 upon which are journaled a pair of rollers 49 with suitable bearing means interposed as at 50 and with means 52 for securing the rollers in position and including spacer 54.

The winding pulley wheel 47 includes a pair of outer annular support surfaces 48 which cooperatively bear upon the respective pairs of rollers 49 arranged adjacent opposite ends of top wall aperture 46, as shown in FIG. 2.

The formed annular pulley groove 56 is provided upon winding wheel 47 and is adapted to cooperatively receive the driving belt 62 which operatively extends around drive pulley 24 on shaft 20, FIGS. 1 and 2.

Accordingly when the control arm 39 has been dis placed, placing tension upon cable 41 against the action of spring 34 tightening belt 17 and releasing brake shoe 3233, shaft 20 and drive pulley 24 rotate for continuously driving winding pulley wheel 47.

Normally the winding pulley wheel is maintained in the upright position shown by the pairs of spaced rollers '49. Stops 58 secured upon top wall 45 as at 59, FIG. 2 are, slightly spaced from the periphery of wheel 47 to restrain said wheel against accidental displacement. These may be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 1, the winding pulley wheel 47 upon one side has a tapered bore 60 terminating in the cylindrical opening 61. Pulley belt 62 is separable as shown in FIGS. 6-7 and for this purpose includes adjacent the free ends thereof at 63, the loop 64 and hook fastener 65. Under certain conditions in introducing a continuous circular wire into the machine for the purpose of making a wreath, as will be described, it is necessary to momentarily separate pulley belt 62 which interconnects pulley 24 and Winding pulley wheel 47.

The upright guide bushing 66, centrally apertured at 67, includes the horizontal support 68 which overlies a portion of top wall aperture 46 and tenminates in the mounting block 69 anchored at 78 to said top wall upon one side of aperture '46. Bushing 66 is transversely slit at 70.

Second guide bushing 71 apeitured at 72 is spaced from guide bushing 66, and also is transversely slit whereby both bushings are adapted to receive a portion of a wire ring when the machine is used for making wreaths. Said wire ring is also displaceable through 3 slit 57 in winding wheel 47 when belt 62 has been temporarily disconnected.

The second upright guide bushing 71 is also spaced within opening 61 of winding pulley wheel 47.

Bushing 71 coaxial of bushing 66 and winding wheel 47, includes the horizontal support member 73 which partially overlies aperture 46 and is secured to a portion of top wall 45 upon the side of aperture 46 opposite from the mounting of bushing 66.

The guide bushings 66 and 71 are so positioned with respect to winding wheel 47 that the wire 80 from tension member 86 is adapted to project between bushings 66 and 71 for tying onto flexible core 95. Control lever 74, FIG. 1, is positioned within housing 12 and extends guidably through slot 75 terminating in knob 76 upon the exterior of the housing.

Said lever is fulcrumed upon bottom wall 13 at 77 and includes a cantilever end which operatively engages the undesurface of arm support 29 outwardly of its pivotal mounting 30.

Arm 29 controls the spacing of pulley 24 with respect to winding pulley wheel 47. When making wreaths requiring the insertion of a wire ring into the interior of winding wheel 47 and bushings 66, 71, it is necessary to disconnect belt 62 between pulley 24 and said winding wheel. For this purpose the operator presses control lever 7476 downwardly, in effect elevating support arm 29 and establishing a loose condition for belt 62 to facilitate disengagement of hook 65 and eye 64, FIGS. 6 and 7.

Once the wreath mounting ring has been properly positioned, belt 62 is reattached after which control lever 74 is manually released so that the parts return to the position shown with belt 62 taut, FIG. 2.

The reel, laterally mounted upon winding wheel 47, includes the coil of wire 80 upon spool 79. Said tool is journaled upon shaft 8-1 secured at 8283 into the side of winding wheel 47, there being a suitable cotter pin 85 for anchoring said spool. A suitable spacer or coil spring 84 is interposed between nut 83 and said spool for frictional engagement therewith.

Laterally arranged upon wheel 47 rearwardly on the direction of rotation thereof is a tension regulator 86 which consists of a shaft 87 secured at 88 upon the side of wheel 47, FIG. 3, including lock nut 89 and the stationary stop 90 upon said shaft. Cup-shaped member 91 is loosely positioned upon shaft 87 and is normally urged towards stop 90 by coil spring 92 which extends into cup 91 and at one end is adjustably anchored at 93 upon said shaft, whereby the tension in the regulator may be adjusted.

The wire 80 from spool 79 extends between stop 90 and the spring biased member 91 as shown in FIG. 3 and thence downwardly as in FIG. 2 for securing to the flexible core 95 onto which a series of pine boughs are to be positioned and securely wrapped.

A suitable spool 94 is provided, FIG. 1, either upon the floor or upon some portion of support 11 onto which is wound a coil of flexible material such as hemp, roping or wire 95, the free end of which is threaded through eye 96 of eye-bolt 97. Said bolt extends through top wall 45 of the housing at 98 and is removably secured thereto by nut 99. The free end of core 95 extends horizontally and axially through bushings 66, 71 and winding wheel 47 for operation as now described.

Machine operation for making rope The wire or rope core 95 is drawn from spool 94 or bale on the floor and is movably positioned through eye 96 and the said bushings and Winding wheel extending approximately l-foot beyond bushing 71, FIG. 1.

Winding wire 80 is drawn from spool 79 and threaded through tension regulator 86 between members 9091 and is then drawn between bushing 66 and 71 and tied to core 95.

The machine is now ready for making rope. The operator starts by picking up a bough in his right hand as in position A, 'FIG. 1, and inserting its stem first between bushings 71, 66 as shown at position B. When in position B, the control arm 39 is engaged by the knee of the operator and winding wheel 47 begins to rotate, thus tightly wrapping the bough to the core 95 with wire 80.

While this wrapping is being performed, the operator pulls the finished roping out of the machine with his left hand to position C. This is the complete cycle of operation and the operator is now ready to start another cycle. The machine can run continuously and need not be stopped between cycles as long as a supply of boughs are kept beside the operator.

Machine operation in making wreaths Core 95 and eye-bolt 97 are removed from the machine. The operation starts by pushing control lever 74- 76 to the down position. This slackens belt 62 lifting it from the V-groove 56 in wheel 47 enabling the belt to be uncoupled, FIGS. 6-7. A wire ring of approximately 2 to 3 feet in diameter or more, for illustration, on which the boughs are to be wrapped, is then placed in the center of bushings 66, 71 through their respective slots 70 and likewise through the center of winding wheel 47 through its slot 57, so as to normally lie in a horizontal plane.

The belt 62 is then coupled together and lever 74- 76 shifted to the up position. At this point wire from spool 79 is threaded the same as for making rope and is tied to the ring core corresponding to flexible core 95.

The machine is now ready to wrap boughs to the ring. Boughs are fed into the machine and wrapped the same as for making rope with the operator merely manipulating or rotating the ring in said horizontal plane. As the ring becomes completely wrapped with boughs, the control lever 7476 is shifted to down position, belt 62 uncoupled, and the wreath is removed from the machine in the same manner in which the wreath was placed into machine. The wire 80 is cut and tied securely to the wire ring or the starting end of the wire, thus completing the wreath.

Similarly upon completion of a length of evergreen roping, the wire 80 must likewise be cut and securely tied to an adjacent portion of the flexible core 85, FIG. 1.

Having described our invention, reference should now be had to the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a machine for automatically making evergreen roping and wreaths, a housing adapted for mounting on a support and including an apertured top wall, a pair of spaced roller supports depending from said top wall, an upright winding pulley ring above said top wall loosely extending into said aperture and rotatively mounted upon said supports, a pair of parallel spaced upright apertured guide bushings overlying said aperture and supported upon said top wall from opposite sides of said aperture, a spool of wire extending laterally of and journaled upon said winding ring, a tension regulator on said winding ring spaced from said spool to guidably and frictionally receive said wire, guide means on said housing coaxially with and longitudinally spaced from said bushings adapted to slidably receive a continuous length of flexible core material, movably threaded centrally through said bushings and ring adapted to have manually mounted thereon within said bushings pine boughs to be secured thereon, the free end of said wire extending between said bushings and secured to said core material, and power means connected to said winding ring for tightly winding said wire around said core and boughs longitudinally thereof as said core is drawn longitudinally through said bushings and winding ring.

2. In the machine of claim 1, said power means including a substantially upright swingable support pivotally mounted adjacent its lower edge upon said housing, a shaft journaled upon said support adjacent its upper edge, drive and driven pulleys secured on opposite ends of said shaft, a motor mounted within said housing including a drive shaft carrying a pulley, and belts interconnecting the drive and driven pulleys with said motor driven pulley and winding pulley ring respectively, a stationary brake shoe, spring means anchored to said housing and connected to said swingable support normally maintaining said drive pulley in frictional contact with said brake shoe and creating slack in the motor driven pulley belt rendering said drive pulley inoperative, and manual control means pivotally mounted on said housing and operatively connected to said pulley support for disengaging said brake shoe from said drive pulley and eliminating said slack in said motor driven pulley belt.

3. In the roping and wreath making machine of claim 1, said power means including a tiltable arm pivotally mounted within said housing, an upright swingable support pivotally mounted upon said tiltable arm, a power driven shaft journaled on said swingable support, a driven pulley on said shaft, a belt interconnecting said driven pulley and winding pulley ring, and manual control means engagable with said arm pivoting the same creating slack in said pulley belt deactivating said pulley winding ring, said power driven shaft including a drive pulley, a motor within said housing including a drive shaft and pulley, and a belt interconnecting said motor pulley and said drive pulley.

4. In the roping and wreath-making machine of claim 3, a brake shoe adapted to frictionally engage said drive pulley, spring means on said housing joined to said swingable support rormally urging said drive pulley into engagement with said brake shoe, and manual control means pivotally mounted on said housing and operatively connected to said swingable support for disengaging said drive pulley from said brake shoe and eliminating the slack in said motor driven pulley belt.

5. In a machine for making evergreen roping and wreaths, a housing including an apertured top wall, spaced pairs of roller supports on said housing, an upright winding pulley ring above said top wall extending into said aperture rotatively mounted peripherally upon said roller supports, a pair of parallel spaced upright apertured guide bushings overlying said aperture and supported upon said top wall from opposite sides of said aperture, one of said bushings spaced within said winding ring, a spool of wire extending laterally of and journaled upon said Winding ring, said winding ring and bushings being transversely slit therethrough to permit the introduction of a wire ring thereinto, with portions of said Wire ring adapted for positioning axially through said winding wheel and bushings, and adapted to have manually mounted thereon within said bushings pine boughs to be secured thereon, the free end of said Wire being secured to said Wire ring, said wheel progressively wrapping wire from said spool around said wire ring and boughs as said wire ring is manually rotated in a substantially horizontal plane.

References Cited in the fileof this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 634,050 Wittbold Oct. 3, 1899 1,610,468 Pullets Dec. 14, 1926 2,331,371 Bridges Oct. 12, 1943 2,438,187 Reynolds et a1 Mar. 23, 1948 2,634,532 Englert Apr. 14, 1953 2,726,818 Bailey Dec. 13, 1955 2,767,499 Porter Oct. 23, 1956 2,792,775 Beyette May 21, 1957 2,825,990 Hughes Mar. 11, 1958 2,905,401 Ewald Sept. 22, 1959 

